Monthly Archives: June 2014

The NFC North and the word “quarterback” doesn’t really resonate with a sound tradition. The Green Bay Packers have had two of the three legendary quarterbacks to play in the division, being Brett Favre and Bart Starr – the Minnesota Vikings have the other with Fran Tarkenton. You can make an argument that the Lions and Bears have had some legends at the position as well but for Detroit one would have to go back to the 50’s to chronicle anything that Bobby Lane accomplished. For the Bears it’s no better, as one would have to google “great quarterbacks in the 1940’s” to find ol’ leather-helmet wearing Sid Luckman. For the first time in a long time all four teams in this division have viable options under center. The Green Bay Packers have the perennial MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers; the Detroit Lions have the first overall pick of the 2009 draft Matthew Stafford; the Chicago Bears have the enigma that is Jay Cutler; while the Minnesota Vikings drafted Teddy Bridgewater in this years draft with the hopes that he’ll lead them into the future. So how do these quarterbacks rank in this division? . . .

Aaron Rodgers has not only refined his skills to elite levels, but he has also mastered his system in such a way that he can make any receiver on his roster look a lot better than they truly are. . .Rodgers has had a passer rating of over 100 in his last five seasons. He’s been a model of excellent consistency since 2008 while tossing 187 touchdowns to 51 interceptions. Rodgers has even welcomed the change at quarterbacks coach with Todd Van Pelt being assigned that role. Rodgers said of the change : “I think it’s important to mix it up a bit. . . it can really be good for things that are getting stagnant.” It’s impressive for someone building such a strong resume for himself to be open to change that will directly affect him. The bottom line is that Rodgers is still the main part of head coach Mike McCarthy’s offense. This offense was getting a bit too pass reliant until last season we all saw the emergence of rookie running back Eddy Lacy. With Lacy now filling the void needed at the half back spot, the Green Bay offense can become more balanced. Rodgers has the weapons in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to rebound from a season in which a collar bone injury sidelined him for seven games. There’s no reason to doubt that after a full season, Rodgers will put up over 4000 yards and 35 touchdowns – with ease.

It’s obvious that while attending Vanderbilt University, Jay Cutler did not take a public relations course. Cutler has become the quarterback NFL fans “love to hate.” Cutler’s body language, poor judgement and dull facial expressions have made him a target for public scrutiny. The good thing about all of this? Jay Cutler does not care if you like him or not. The Bears apparently don’t care either as they offered signed Cutler to a new contract with $54 million guaranteed. Cutler was showing progress in the Marc Trestman system last season but once again, Cutler struggled to stay healthy for the duration of a season. It’s been stated over and over again that Cutler possesses “all the tools to succeed,” but now is the time for him to put up or shut up. The Bears have fixed the offensive line woes which hampered Cutler (and the offense as a whole) and they have three pro bowl skill position players in Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffrey and Matt Forte. The early word from quarterback coach Matt Cavanaugh was : “He’s taken every suggestion we’ve given and embraced it. From how he holds the ball to how he line s up. . . every little fundamental we’ve talked to him about, he’s embraced, and it’s like night and day.” The truth of the matter is, Jay Cutler may be the most talented quarterback in the history of the Chicago Bears – and now is the time for him to flourish.

Teddy Bridgewater may have gone late in the first round but he found himself in a better position than the ones who were drafted ahead of him. Bridgewater went into last years college season as an early Heisman favorite and was projected to be a top five pick. A couple of hiccups during the season, questions about his body frame and a shaky pro-day – made his stock on draft day plummet. Some pundits felt the drop was foolish, while others thought it was justifiable. The Vikings, who were in need of a quarterback, felt they had to snatch up the QB from Louisville and hope that the drop in the draft would turn out to be a steal. In 2011 the Vikings kind of “forced the issue” by drafting quarterback Christian Ponder out of Florida State, and that just hasn’t worked out well for them. The Vikings still have the most devastating force in the back field in Adrian Peterson and last year drafted a multi-talented wide-out in Cordarrelle Patterson. A talent also in the building for Minnesota is new offensive coordinator, Norv Turner. Say what you want when it comes to Norv Turner being a head coach – the man has proved himself at the offensive coordinator position in this league. Questions about Bridgewater’s arm strength arose during draft talk – but Norv Turner has praised Bridgewater’s abilities : “I knew he’d be very accurate, I knew he’d make great decisions, quick decisions – but he’s been outstanding throwing the ball deep, which some people thought that was going to be an issue. Add to the mix a veteran receiver in Greg Jennings and a sure handed tight end who is a red zone threat in Kyle Rudolf – the transition for Bridgewater shouldn’t be as mind-bending as one would think. He probably had the most mentally equipped quarterback mind in this years draft and if he can put that together with the arm strength he has so far exhibited at practice, Bridgewater can help this team earn W’s in spots that last year turned out to be L’s.

4. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

2013 Stats: QB Rating: 84.2 Comp.%: 58.5 Yards: 4650 TD: 29 Int: 19

Matthew Stafford was the only quarterback in this division to start every game for his team. He was 350 yards short of throwing for 5000 and is returning with more weapons this year. So why is Stafford at the bottom of this quarterback ranking? The Detroit Lions seemingly had the division put away, but poor defense and offensive turnovers made the Lions give the lead away. Stafford threw 12 interception in his last 6 games. Stafford has one of the bigger arms in the league, but that means nothing without control and a sense of where you are. Stafford at times seems to just throw jump balls up for Calvin Johnson more than actually throw accurately to him – and he also seems to just zone in on Johnson and force the issue, even if he is double covered. The Lions added Golden Tate and rookie tight end Eric Ebron into the mix. Last year they added Reggie Bush. When will they stop shelling out money or spending draft picks on an offense for a quarterback that doesn’t think he needs to change his style? Yeah that’s right. When talk of working with/under a quarterback guru came up, Stafford said: “Probably not. That’s not something I feel would be my style or beneficial to me.” Oh. The Lions decided to pay him big bucks before he really accomplished anything and now have to just sit this one out and hope for the best. While the other three quarterbacks in this division have taken to change or embraced new philosophies, Stafford continues to play the stubborn role. The Lions just went under a new coaching change and coach Jim Caldwell is supposed to “crack the whip” on an otherwise non-disciplined locker room. Who knows how that will go with the free-spirited Stafford. Stafford at times throws off-balanced, side armed or just throws from an awkward over hand release making his passes bullets. . . but not quite accurate. Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press wrote: “Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and his new receiving corps haven’t set the world on fire practicing in shorts and helmets during organized team activities. . .” – that sounds promising.

When the Chicago Bears entered the 2014 draft, the experts had predicted the Bears to draft a defensive lineman or a safety. With defensive tackle Aaron Donald being selected by the Rams right before the Bears pick, the general consensus was that the Bears would take one of the top two safeties : Calvin Pryor or Ha-Ha Clinton Dix. The Bears opted to ignore the needs at defensive line and safety and decided to draft cornerback Kyle Fuller out of Virginia Tech with the 14th over-all pick.

This was a head scratching move for some, considering the Bears already had two former pro bowlers in Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings at the one and two corner spots. The Bears felt that most of their off-season signings should help boost the D-Line and they waited till the fourth round to select a safety in the University of Minnesota’s Brock Vereen (as of yesterday the Bears also added former 5 time pro bowl safety Adrian Wilson into the mix). So what made the Bears go after Fuller in the first round? The Bears are thinking about the present and the future.

Presently the Bears are looking for Fuller to win the job as the nickel cornerback. Coach Marc Trestman has said “this is a three wide receiver league” and with that the Bears want to keep three corners in a steady rotation throughout the season. The Bears have to deal with two high flying aerial attacks within their own division in Green Bay and Detroit and looking at this years upcoming schedule they will have to deal with quarterbacks by the names of Brees, Brady, Romo and Ryan, to name a few. . . Trestman is right, the pressing need to go three deep at the corner position is quickly becoming a necessity.

According to NFL.Com, Mike Mayock likened Kyle Fuller’s game to Brandon Flowers (another Virginia Tech alum) when it comes to how physical he plays at the line of scrimmage and how helpful he is in run support from the corner spot. The run support from the secondary will be key in this years Bears defense because when looking at how their run defense faired last year, they need all the help they can get. Last season the Bears run defense gave up an average of 161.4 yards on the ground to the tune of 5.3 yards a carry. This indicates that teams were able to run on this defense in every and any direction.

Besides the physical and mental tests that young Kyle Fuller will be expected to endure this season, he also has to contend with playing for a bigger role on the team with two former pro-bowlers ahead of him. The previously mentioned Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings are the veteran corners who are expected to help bring along Kyle Fuller who will ultimately be a replacement for either one. Charles Tillman is still the best corner on the team who has mastered the art of stripping the ball out of ball carriers arms, but more importantly has been very physical corner who has given the likes of Detroit’s Calvin Johnson some fits while playing him one on one. Tim Jennings has been a player in the league who’s been hard to really get a grasp on. He won a Super Bowl with the Colts in 2007, and was a pro bowler in 2012 and 2013. He gets lost in double moves often and height (5’8″) seems to dampen his athleticism. If any of these two veteran corners should be worried about Fuller taking their job, it should be Jennings. Something that almost quite literally slapped Fuller into reality was lining up against pro bowl wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey in practices. Fuller said of the match ups : “Going against Brandon and Alshon, two big, strong guys – it definitely woke me up and let me know where I’m at.”

Aside from Fuller eventually pushing a veteran to the sideline, or out the door – Fuller the player offers a lot for the Bears fans to be excited over. He understands what it means to be a pro as he has had two older brothers play in the NFL (Vincet Fuller and Corey Fuller, who currently plays for the Detroit Lions). He also was the team captain at Virginia Tech. Coach Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech has run a program there that emphasizes precision on defense and special teams which should bode well for Fuller moving forward in terms of understanding an NFL playbook and maintaining focus throughout a season as a professional.

Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said of Fuller: “He’s a very intelligent player. He’s got good size, he’s got good speed. He’s a willing and aggressive tackler and a high percentage tackler. He’s got excellent ball skills and great awareness.” When Tucker was asked about Fuller being added depth to a position that already had to established veterans, he backed up comments made by head coach Marc Trestman by saying: “Typically, at least half of the snaps that you’ll play in the season will be with five defensive backs in the game . . . a third corner is like a starter. A third corner plays as much if not more than your third linebacker in a 4-3.”

So the head-scratching draft day move by the Bears maybe wasn’t too complex to understand. What the Bears get in Kyle Fuller is a mature, capable, athlete who won’t shy away from competition and who will be asked to make an impact from week one.

It’s tough to call 50 Cent an underdog. He has a net-worth of $140 million, released a classic hip hop album in 2003 with Get Rich or Die Tryin’, starred in motion pictures, successful CEO of G-Unit records, a novelist, numerous number one hit records – the list goes on. 50 Cent has risen from the borough of Queens to achieve the American Dream. He did it with his “take no prisoners” attitude and with that, was not afraid to ruffle the feathers of his peers. 50 Cent stepped on whoever he needed in order to maintain his status as a beast in the music industry. 50 was able to see commercial success no matter what his song topics were. Within his flow, he exuded a cocky street mentality and coupled that persona with the ability to write some of the most infectious hooks in music. Whether it was “In Da Club” – “P.I.M.P” or “Candy Shop” 50 was able to keep his music in your head and was usually the highlight of the club scene.

After his first two releases (“Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and “the Massacre”) it was noticeable that 50 Cent was either getting too comfortable in his position or he exhausted everything he could from his 50 Cent character. His third album “Curtis” generated the street anthem “I Get Money” but expectations for the second single “Ayo Technology” were maybe set too high – and for good reason considering the song featured no other than Mr. Justin Timberlake. His next release “Before I Self Destruct” dished out modest hits with “Baby By Me” and “Think About Me.” 50 just could not capitalize on his fame with these singles, even the female targeted ones. Most believe he was getting airplay because of things he accomplished earlier in his career and because New York was lacking with getting their own artist on air.

After failing to get his fifth studio album released off of Interscope Records (creative differences were said to be the issue but it was probably due to the two singles released not catching on. . .) 50 Cent brought G-Unit records to Caroline Records (a distributor for Capital Records) to release “Animal Ambition: An Untamed Desire to Win. It’s a mouthful for an album title, but that should come as no surprise for someone who always has had something to say. 50 is no longer the heavy-weight in the rap game. People have questioned if he still has the heart for music, while others have just grown tired of him. Can “Animal Ambition” be 50 Cent’s triumphant return to dominance?

The album questionably opens up with the track “Hold On.” I use the word “questionable” because it’s a laid back track that doesn’t quite go anywhere. You see, here’s the thing with 50 Cent: he can tell a story, but lyrically he has seemed to fall off. Truth is, he fell off lyrically years ago, we’ve just been giving him a pass. “Hold On,” is more of the same from 50 Cent. He speaks at a low tone, gives a half effort sing-songy hook and kind of makes you hesitate to hear what’s in store.

There are times when it seems as if 50 goes against the natural flow of the beat he’s on, like on the tracks “Pilot” and “Don’t Worry ‘Bout It.” There is a “bounce” feel to the beat and instead of trying to ride it like that, he maintains his ‘one-two-one-two’ approach in his flow which is a shame. “Don’t Worry ‘Bout It” features Yo Gotti and it’s a good thing it does considering he’s so bad, it makes 50’s lazy attempt on this record seem like gold.

One of the strongest tracks on the album required the production assistance of Dr. Dre and a feature by Trey Songz. It’s hard to mess that up and 50 is rap veteran who couldn’t screw this one up even if he tried. Lyrically, 50 Cent pulls it together on “Smoke” with lines like : “Pink diamonds, pink sand beaches Aruba / Blue sapphires on days when she feelin’ Hoover. … she’s like the stones in my cross, she flawless / I’m thinking ‘damn, why would God give a woman all this?” On the title track “Animal Ambition” 50 keeps the sex-talk going and is worth a few listens but like many times on this album, he doesn’t leave you wanting more or remembering anything except the chorus which took as much effort as breathing does.

When promoting the “Animal Ambition” album, 50 Cent stated that this album was about prosperity. Two tracks capture that feeling. “Winners Circle” is one of them and it’s laced with a nice hook sung by Guordan Banks. Between the hook and beat it has a very inspirational feeling to it and if you listen to 50 that’s what he wanted to capture : “Consider this the teme song for vitory / the sh*t you say to yourself when you make history / I’m trying to make it feel like the first time / Like a junkie I’m sort of chasing my first high. . . I got that disease, ambition – success is the cure / They wanna win, I gotta win, I sell the sh*t pure.” Considering 50 Cent’s lyrical past it’s nice seeing him dive into a topic like “achieving success” which is something he’s obviously done. On “Twisted” 50 does more of the same “We done came so far, I mean look where we are / If they don’t call us by name they call us entrepreneurs.” These are two of the highlights but nothing comes off stronger than “The Funeral” where 50 Cent masterfully tells a story about attending the funeral of a rival who his crew took out. 50 describes the shoot out and funeral scenes with such an arrogant-dark-defiance, it reminds you of that untamed desire to win that it seems, for the most part, has left him.

50 Cent’s artist Kidd Kidd steals the show on tracks he’s featured on, which is good and bad for 50. Good because it’s 50’s artist and he benefits from any success Kidd Kidd achieves. It’s bad for 50 because, Kidd Kidd has been signed to G-Unit records since 2011 and he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. Kidd Kidd delivers probably the best verse on the album on “Everytime I Come Around” but unfortunately 50 Cent’s lazy chorus which is a take on the school yard “ring-around-the-rosey” song is an epic failure. “Irregular Heartbeat” features Kidd Kidd and Jadakiss who both deliver solid verses, as does 50. Unfortunately the beat to “Irregular Heartbeat” can put you to sleep as there is nothing to it whatsoever.

Animal Ambition, is a frustrating album to listen to, especially if you’re pulling for 50 Cent to get back on top. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson just may not ever give us the hit records we were used to getting from him. Maybe he is just too comfortable. It’s hard to buy into a guy talking street, when we all know he isolates himself and hangs out with the upper echelon of Hollywood. Maybe if we heard more from Curtis Jackson and less from 50 Cent, we’d be able to hear quality music which he can still definitely put out, it just didn’t happen this time around. For a guy who once called himself the “silverback gorilla in the concrete jungle” – Animal Ambition falls short of any desire to win. Instead 50 seems to just play it safe . . . once again.

Many sports writers claim that the football game of today is a “quarterback’s league.” The quarterbacks are the most protected, most highly paid players in the league; and because of recent rule changes – they are rewriting the record books. The new saying is you need a quarterback in this league, which is true – but what about the weapons around the quarterback? One can easily say that the NFL game of today not only benefits the quarterback but also the wide receiver. Corners and safeties in the league can barely put their hands on a wide-out and they also have to be wary of lighting up a wideout due to the “hitting a defenseless receiver” penalty which not only brings flags, but also fines. Understanding that a quarterback can help make an average receiver look better, it isn’t too far fetched to believe the same in reverse.

The Minnesota Vikings are heading into the 2014 season expecting Cordarrelle Patterson to be that guy. Patterson is coming into his second year in the NFL and there is no doubt that the Vikings drafted him last year with the intention of him becoming their number one wideout for years to come. Patterson played his college football for the University of Tennessee where he excelled not only as a receiver, but also as a special teams player. Patterson broke the single season all purpose yards record at Tennessee by accumulating 1,858 total yards due to receiving, rushing, kick and punt return yardage. The Vikings at the time had a player who did all of that in Percy Harvin. Harvin though was unhappy being in Minnesota and a trade eventually moved him to Seattle. A void needed to be filled for a Vikings team who was already thin at the wide-receiver position. They made a move in the 2013 draft trading picks with the New England Patriots and selecting Cordarrelle Patterson 29th overall.

When drawing a quick comparison of Patterson to Harvin it looks something like this:

Patterson: 6’2″ 220 pounds, and a 4.42 forty time

Harvin: 5’11” 184 pounds, and a 4.41 forty time

So the Vikings forfeited .01 seconds of a forty yard dash time, for a younger and bigger wideout in Cordarrelle Patterson, who brings the same skill set as Percy Harvin.

In his rookie season it seemed as if the Vikings either didn’t know what to do with Patterson or the quarterback play was so inconsistent it didn’t really matter. Patterson was seen on special teams every week and returned two kicks for a touchdown (one of them being a 109 yard touchdown return which is an NFL record). It wasn’t until mid-season when the Vikings started to utilize his size and versatility into the offense. His receiving numbers by season’s end were nothing outstanding (45 receptions for 469 yards and 4 touchdowns) especially considering the offense was still centered around the running game (and that trend was not going to stop considering their previously mentioned inconsistency at the quarterback position. Also add in his 12 rushing attempts for over 150 yards and 3 touchdowns and it’s easy to see, this is the kind of player you need to get the ball into the hands of.

The Vikings are preparing for the 2014 season with a new head coach, Mike Zimmer and a new quarterback, rookie Teddy Bridgewater. The offense at a glance doesn’t look to shabby considering they still have Adrian Peterson in the backfield, a veteran wideout in Greg Jennings, above average skilled tight end in Kyle Rudolf, third year wideout out of Arkansas, Jarius Wright and of course Patterson. Currently Patterson is slated as the number two wide receiver behind Greg Jennings, but expect that to change by the start of pre-season.

Patterson is a unique talent that is just as dangerous on a screen pass as he is a deep route. Patterson is not only a key to the Vikings offense moving forward but also he will play an integral part in the development of Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater, like other quarterbacks in his class came in with a lot of questions when entering the NFL. Where Bridgewater separated himself from others is in standardized completion percentage. Standardized completion percentage takes one’s regular completion percentage and quantifies it along with distance and difficulty of passes made. Bridgewater had one of the highest ratings of the last three years. This should bode well for Patterson who has the ability and size to do just about everything. If Patterson and Bridgewater can get on the same page with hand-signals and timing they can forge to become one of the deadliest connections in the league.

Of course this is all assuming things work out as planned for the Vikings and if the NFL has proved anything over the years is that you can’t plan on anything to be certain. The potential is there for Patterson to come into his own this season. As it currently stands, YahooSports has Patterson ranked as the 19th overall wide receiver in fantasy football drafts (coincidentally, Percy Harvin is right after him at number 20). What this should tell folks is that experts are expecting the Vikings to still base the offense off the running game and not force Bridgewater into situations where he has to win games. There will be times though that even a running game that’s equipped with the likes of Adrian Peterson will fall behind 10 or 14 points late in a game and they will have to throw.

Predicting Patterson’s final numbers are difficult because we’ve seen receivers like Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon look at times unstoppable with nothing spectacular at the quarterback position so imagine what Patterson can accomplish as long as Bridgewater is above average. A modest expectation from Patterson is somewhere in the ballpark of 1,250 yards and 9 touchdowns receiving and a couple of special teams TDs.

The Chicago Bears enter a new era for themselves. This is not the Bears teams of old that would grind it out on the ground about 30 times a game and rely on a defensive fleet that was stingy in giving up points. This isn’t even the team from a few years back that had a suffocating defense and very putrid offense. This Bears team under coach Marc Trestman has become, in just one season, one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL. They “remixed” their offensive line last season, which finally gave the skill players what they needed to put their talents on display. Matt Forte enjoyed the open space on flat routes and screens, while both quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Josh McCown, put up impressive numbers while learning the Marc Trestman offense. Of course, what stood out the most, were the new Monsters of the Midway : Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey.

Last season Marshall and Jeffrey totaled over 2700 receiving yards and combined for 19 touchdowns. Even when the rest of the league caught on to the fact that the Bears now had two all-pro type wideouts – defenses could do very little. They both come at a ridiculous size (Jeffrey 6’3″ 215 pounds, Marshall 6’4″ 230 pounds) and accompany that with freakish athleticism.

Brandon Marshall was acquired by the Bears in 2012 when the Bears traded two third round picks to the Miami Dolphins for his services. The move reunited Marshall with the quarterback he saw the most success with in his career, Jay Cutler. In their reunited season, the quarterback / receiver duo proved to still have the chemistry they displayed in their days with the Broncos. Marshall became the first Bears receiver to go over the 1000 yard receiving mark since 2002 and set Bears’ seasons records with total receiving yards and receptions. The problem was that Marshall had almost 90 more receptions than the next Bears wideout – making the passing game effective, yet one dimensional. There was a lack of talent amongst other receivers and at the time the Bears had one of the worst offensive lines in the league. They needed more help – and they needed somebody to step up. . .

Alshon Jeffrey was drafted by the Bears in 2012. Scouts marveled the size and agility possessed by the promising young receiver out of South Carolina. A silly character concern let Alshon drop to the second round of the draft. The word silly is used because the concern was that he wasn’t in the best shape while on the field. Even sillier considering the fifth overall pick in the draft was the much troubled Justin Blackmon who was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Other receivers went before Jeffrey’s name was called : Michael Floyd, Kendall Wright, A.J. Jenkins, Brian Quick and Stephen Hill. . . Jeffrey’s rookie season found him at times looking confused. Dropped passes, incorrect running routes and struggling to find separation were all weekly struggles for the young wide out. After the 2012 season, Brandon Marshall said he would work with Jeffrey in the off-season. Whatever Marshall did with the kid, worked. Jeffrey ended the 2013 campaign with over 1400 yards and even had two 200 yard receiving games. Jeffrey was the other option Chicago needed to open up their passing attack. You could no longer double team Brandon Marshall because Jeffrey was becoming an emerging star in the league. His progress earned him the PFWA award for Most Improved Player of the Year. Jeffrey offers a 36 inch vertical to his already above 6 foot stature – factor in another three feet for his arm length and you’re talking about a guy who at the peak of his jump is somewhere around 12-13 feet tall. Something that goes unnoticed, which shouldn’t about Jeffrey is that he is one of the leagues best at locating the ball. What does that mean? That means, when the ball is up for grabs, even while getting nudged by one or two defenders (on ground or air) Jeffrey displays a certain kind of concentration in following the ball into his hands like very few in the league can. Jeffrey became not just a favorite amongst Bears fans, but NFL fans in general when making highlight worthy receptions seemingly every week.

In most discussions Brandon Marshall is considered to be a top five wideout in the NFL. He’s had success against the likes of Darrelle Revis averaging about 5 catches and 80 yards a game when playing against the all pro. Marshall has even had success where very few have : against Richard Sherman and the Seattle Seahawks secondary. Although the Bears lost that game in 2012, Marshall came away with 10 catches for 165 yards. So now that Marshall is accompanied by Alshon Jeffrey the question is: Do the Bears have the best wide receiver duo in the league?

Look at the other “top five receivers” in the league. Calvin Johnson is an all out beast but his counterpart is Golden Tate, a receiver who’s been in the league for four years and hasn’t had one 1000 yard season. Larry Fitzgerald is the prototypical wideout with the best hands in the league and the Cardinals are hoping that previously mentioned Michael Floyd will develop into something. AJ Green has no-one at an all pro level opposite of him and neither does Dez Bryant in Dallas. One can make the argument that the Atlanta Falcons with Julio Jones and Roddy White still have the best wide receiver duo in the league but after last season seeing Roddy White battling injuries all year long – you have to consider how much of a beating his body can take at this point.

Right now there should not be a debate that the best wide receiver duo belongs to the Chicago Bears. A scary thing to consider is this : As mentioned earlier, after the 2012 season Marshall worked with Jeffrey in the off-season. After the 2013 season Marshall and Jeffrey said they were adding 2013 draft pick Marquess Wilson to work out with them. As of June 7th, it was reported by ESPN’s Michael C. Wright that the Bears are “pretty confident” Wilson will win the slot receiver job. If history repeats itself . . . Bear Witness. . .

When news broke about the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Colin Kaepernick, I had to hold my breath before I heard the years attached to the dollar amount. Let’s just say it was a good thing I was already sitting down when I head the deal was $126 million for six years ($61 million guaranteed). Is it safe to say this is getting out of hand? This of course is in reference to the amount of money quarterbacks are getting paid in today’s NFL. It’s too easy to say “players are over-paid,” – that’s a cop-out argument and that’s not what this is about.

Ever since the word “elite” crept into conversations about quarterbacks, things got weird. There was a clear hierarchy but it seemed folks wanted to widen the holes of the filter so more names could seep through. The hierarchy was and still is: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. After those names you can make your case for who’s number five or number six and it doesn’t matter because the drop off from four to five can be measured in double digit miles. We live in a time where quarterbacks are given wins and losses – as if they were major league pitchers. People look at how quarterbacks fare in head to head match ups as if either one has a hand in that outcome. Super Bowl wins have been at the center “elite” talk – which in turn gave out more heinous contracts like the ones given to Joe Flacco and Eli Manning.

But back to Kaepernick . . .

Colin Kaepernick has a good story, he’s fun to watch and is a new young face in this NFL, but is he worth $126 million? Kaepernick has played two seasons (13 games in one, 16 in the other) and last year finished with 3,197 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Nice numbers but nothing that will make you shake in your boots. He also rushed for over 500 yards – which serves as a nice compliment to the other totals. Is Kaepernick a bum? Clearly not, but he also isn’t the messiah of San Francisco. His passing attempts are not even equal to the number of completions by Drew Brees, yards are not even close and neither is the mastery of the quarterback position. Kaepernick is still learning the position and still had another year under his old contract to prove what he’s worth. Kaepernick is still a guy who gets flustered if his first read isn’t there. . . The rush to sign him to the mega deal perplexes me. . .

Understanding that the NFL is wealthy beyond imagination – that still does not quantify the reasoning for over-paying decent-to-good quarterbacks. For those that say “It’s a quarterback league, it’s the most important position,” I argue that by saying that’s what makes most of these quarterbacks expendable. The NFL has adjusted it’s rules so the quarterback can move up and down the field without getting touched. That’s why guys like Josh McCown and Thad Lewis were able to find themselves in a comfortable position when thrown into the mix last season. What happened to crediting the offensive line and the wide receivers who make the job easier for the quarterback? Is there a question that Anquan Boldin and his vice grip like hands helped Joe Flacco in that Super Bowl run which ended up paying out quite nicely for a quarterback who puts up average numbers year in and year out? Jay Cutler just got paid big bucks this off-season – but wouldn’t you think with that much improved offensive line and three pro bowl skill players out on that offense that the Bears could’ve went a cheaper route?

I’m waiting for the day when a general manager (or owner) tells a quarterback – “We believe in our system and the guys we’ve drafted. We’ll be fine. Good luck, hope you get what you’re looking to get paid elsewhere.” This is the same NFL that can tell a consistent 1,000 yard rusher: “See ya.”

Another quarterback who will get massive bucks for no reason is the Seahawks’ Russel Wilson. Yes, I know he just won a Super Bowl, but if you tell me that he is even the 5th most important person on that team I’d question you. Once again, not saying Wilson isn’t a good quarterback, but you have to consider what makes these guys good – it’s the talent around them. Pay the offensive line men before anybody. Those are the guys who are literally fighting for every win. They are the ones trying to protect the player who is already protected by the rules of the game. Look at what a broken offensive line and no wideouts did to Matt Ryan last season, another QB who cashed in on a huge extension.

It seems more and more like teams just want their guy to be in the same category as the elite. The only thing a team can do to get their quarterback in the same conversation as the elite is by putting them in the same tax bracket. I ain’t buying it. Keep this in mind, Michael Vick is the only player to sign two contracts worth $100 million. He’s thrown for over 3000 yards twice and was trying to live up to his potential his entire career. . . Just because you pay them like they’re number one, doesn’t mean that they are. They may not even be number five or six. . .

When rookie quarterbacks are drafted in the first round, there is immediate pressure and stress brought on to the young athletes. There were four quarterbacks in this draft which people were curious to find out the fates of : Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, David Carr and Teddy Bridgewater. Each came with a nice college resume and each came with questions entering the pro level. A lot of times a quarterback can just be born into the right or wrong situation. For example when Ben Roethlisberger was drafted by the Steelers he was brought into a steady organization with veteran talent all around him. Roethlisberger was able to grow into the starting position with a lot on his side already which contributed to early success.

So the question is : Which of these four quarterbacks walks into the best situation for early success? Johnny Manziel walks into a Cleveland franchise which has been dysfunctional for some time now; the Jaguars seem to be “all in” with Blake Bortles and even back up that notion by having a pretty impressive draft but the bottom line is – they’re the Jaguars ; and if one can call the Cleveland Browns a dysfunctional franchise, what do you call the Oakland Raiders who drafted Derek Carr ? That leaves one quarterback out of the four winding up in the most envious position, Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota.

For all that it’s worth, Bridgewater may have the most quarterback ready mind, out of all four. He may not have the arm strength or athleticism like some of his peers, but he does have the quarterback I.Q. which can propel him to succeed at the NFL level. On paper, the NFC North has three of the highest powered offenses in the NFL with Green Bay, Chicago and Detroit. In order to win this division you need a quarterback who can not only put up the numbers, but also protect the ball. Bridgewater’s first year at Louisville he posted a bleak touchdown to interception ratio of 14/12. In his next two seasons he polished up his technique and took command of the offense putting up 27/8 in 2012 and 31/4 in 2013. In that 2013 season he finished with a completion percentage of 71.0 % while attempting 427 passes. Those are numbers scouts love to see in what has now become a pass happy NFL league.

Last season, the quarterback play for the Minnesota Vikings was a carousel of disappointment. This year the Vikings have a capable young candidate in Bridgewater who can start (and should start) right away – and they give him a plethora of weapons. The first and most noticeable is of course, is running back Adrian Peterson. Considering the Vikings will still use Peterson as a focal point of this offense, the pressure will not directly be on Bridgewater to carry each drive. Peterson brings a lot of attention in the box so Bridgewater will have cleaner windows when throwing to wideouts, especially if he can execute play-action well.

They say a tight end is a young quarterback’s best friend and if that’s the case Bridgewater and Kyle Rudolf will become “BFF’s” real quick. Rudolf is a great redzone target and has proved no matter who throws him the ball that he has the ability to be an overall good pass catching tight end.

When Andrew Luck was a rookie he had a veteran receiver in Reggie Wayne to help him through the maturation process. Greg Jennings can be that for Andrew Luck. Sure Jennings is now removed from his prime, but he is still a smart receiver who has a history of working with All Pro QBs. While Greg Jennings is the veteran who has to help guide Bridgewater, it is no doubt the most explosive wideout on the roster is second year man Cordarrelle Patterson. The Vikings because of either bad coaching or poor quarterback play – tapped into the talent of Patterson late last season. He is a receiver on the verge of becoming a huge problem for defenses in the league – seeing him and Bridgewater grow and develop chemistry together is key to the future of the Vikings.

With these talents at the disposal of Bridgewater it is up to Bridgewater himself to make the most of this opportunity. If Bridgewater is just above average the Vikings can compete with every team in this division. Quarterbacks taken in the first round aren’t expected to be just above average though, so he’s got to be better than that in the long run. Good thing for him, he’s in a good situation to start his NFL career.

If this question was to be asked, most wouldn’t think twice and pick Andrew Luck. Why? The word “prototypical” comes to mind. Luck has the size, accuracy, arm strength and athleticism most people prefer in a pro system. Andrew Luck came into the NFL after a stellar college career at Stamford University. It was there under coach Jim Harbaugh that Luck was able to go toe to toe with powerhouses like USC and Oregon. Luck entered the NFL as the most “sure thing quarterback prospect” since Peyton Manning, who he ultimately replaced in Indianapolis when he was drafted #1 overall. Luck had a squeaky clean image accompanied with a degree in architectural design as he entered the draft in 2012. Cam Newton may not have the accuracy of Andrew Luck, but his over-all athleticism puts him in a very limited class of people in the NFL. While attending Auburn University, Cam Newton accomplished two things Luck didn’t in college: he won a National Championship AND a Heisman Trophy – and he did it in his one year as a starting quarterback. Cam Newton played in the SEC which is known for having the most pro-ready defensive athletes in a college conference and absolutely scorched everyone he played totaling over 4200 total yards and 50 touchdowns. Cam Newton was also taken with the number one overall pick but he didn’t come into it without some criticism. Nobody denied his talent, but questioned his character. Newton started his college career at Florida but was arrested for being in the possession of a stolen laptop which subsequently left him to transfer to a junior college, Binn, the following season (where he dominated as well and won the NJCAA Championship). Also, while being recruited by Auburn, Cam’s father, Cecil Newton, was accused by Mississippi State University of trying to get “more than just a scholarship” for his son to transfer there.

Aside from the “baggage” Cam brought with him, he immediately became “must watch” football in the NFL and even set the record for most passing yards by an NFL rookie in a season with 4051. It was an amazing feat until it was broken the following season by Andrew Luck who threw for 4374 yards. . . And while Luck was riding that impressive rookie season, questions about Cam Newton arose. In Cam’s rookie season, he was all smiles and energy week in and week out – but he suffered that “sophomore jinx” – you know, the same one many face after defensive coordinators have a season’s worth of tape on you, so they break down your mechanics and tendencies. . .

Cam appeared less like the jubilant kid with the big smile, and instead exemplified the characteristics of a spoiled brat. His body language was terrible, his effort seemed questionable in losses and word around the league was that he was a hardcore “diva.” All of this was going on while Andrew Luck was being anointed as “the next big thing.”

Luck found himself in a better situation than Cam Newton. Add to the fact that Luck did bring all the tools to be star from day one – it was a smooth transition. Consider that while Andrew Luck was being coached in his rookie season by a great offensive mind in Bruce Arians and was helped along the way by having future hall of famer, Reggie Wayne to throw to – it was in Luck’s favor not to fail. Cam Newton on the other hand had a defensive minded coach in Ron Rivera and although he had a future hall of famer in Steve Smith to throw to – Steve Smith is not the prototypical build or personality as Reggie Wayne is. There was also something Cam needed to learn that Andrew Luck already understood. Cam had to realize, he doesn’t have to try to do it all.

While in college, Cam literally was Mr. Do-It-All. Due to his amazing abilities he was able to manipulate his talents to his advantage and take it to anybody he faced. . . at the college level. In his rookie season, he pretty much played the same way but as previously mentioned, he found himself struggling by year two. While people questioned his maturity and actual ability, Cam Newton himself realized he needed to be a better leader and study the game more because all he knows is to win, and that’s what he needs to do. By his third season Cam polished his mechanics a bit more, was more in tuned with reading defenses and most importantly showed patience in the pocket. He had his lowest totals in passing and rushing yards but that’s because he understood he didn’t have to rush things or try win the game on every throw. Carolina had one of the best defenses in the league – when you have that on your side, as a quarterback the best thing to do is keep drives alive and limit the turnovers, which is what he did and helped lead Carolina to a 12-4 record, bringing Cam to the playoffs for the first time. Cam had to restrain his instincts and sacrifice personal stats for the betterment of his team – which is what a leader does.

Andrew Luck has found himself in the playoffs in the two years he’s played, and under two different head coaches. Most thought Andrew Luck’s numbers would’ve been higher by his second season but they actually lessened from 4374 passing yards to 3822. He did cut his interception numbers in half from 18 to 9 but alot of these stats are due to the fact that he threw the ball less under coach Chuck Pagano . . . which seemed to make no sense. In a league where it benefits you to throw the ball, especially with a talent under center like Luck – many were left scratching their heads as to why Luck was being held back.

Keep in mind that while Cam Newton is in a division where he has to win in shootouts against the Falcons’ Matt Ryan and the Saints’ Drew Brees – Andrew Luck has had the luxury of playing the Titans and the Jaguars twice a year – add to the fact that Houston was terrible last year, which made that division a cake walk.

Is there a clear cut advantage of picking either Andrew Luck or Cam Newton? To some there might be. It all depends on the type of quarterback you’d rather have under center. Andrew Luck brings what every team wishes they had in terms of character, intellect and ability to the position. Cam Newton brings a package we’ve never seen at this position and has showed that when he applies himself he has the smarts to break down defenses and make the intelligent decisions come game time. Both are still young in their careers and it should be a fun ride for us, the fans to enjoy for a long time.